Her Dying Mom Had Visions of the Other Side. She Wrote About It. | Dorie Pickle (Episode 181)
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What did a dying woman see that made her insist her daughter write a book?
When Carly, Dorie’s mom, was hospitalized for pneumonia after battling kidney disease for 40 years, she started having vivid visions and dreams about the other side. She told everyone who entered her hospital room about what she was witnessing. She described structures and levels that exist beyond what we can see, details about our journey that finally made sense to her. Then she had a dream about reading a book in an airport bookstore that captured everything she was experiencing. The book didn't exist. So she made her daughter Dorie promise to write it. Two days later, Carly passed away. Dorie Pickle, author of Dawn: A Fresh Perspective on Life, Death and the Other Side, shares her mom's final visions, the hundreds of signs she's received since her passing, and why she stopped drinking to connect with her mom more in dreams.
About This Episode
Dorie Pickle is the author of Dawn: A Fresh Perspective on Life, Death and the Other Side. When her mom Carly asked Dorie to promise to write about her end of life dreams, thoughts and visions, Dorie readily accepted the challenge. Dorie's journey with her book was a cathartic expression of grief in addition to fulfilling her last promise to her mom. Dorie has started a foundation called Shapes in the Clouds in honor of art, music and nature therapy for helping with grief, illness, anxiety and other life trials. She also serves on the advisory board of Candlelight Ranch, a nonprofit providing nature therapy to those in need. Dorie is passionate about spreading the word about Carly's approach to death and her related visions that helped her transition in her final days.
In this conversation, we explore:
Carly's Final Days and Visions
40 years battling kidney disease
Hospitalized for pneumonia, something shifted
Started telling everyone in hospital room what she was seeing
"I am staring death in the face right now"
"At the end, you can see all of it, and it makes so much sense"
"There is nothing to be afraid of" said several times
Not afraid at all, very positive experience
"This is a much larger journey than I thought"
Part of energy of everyone, all trillions of souls from history
Described distinct levels we travel through in spiral
Physical realm, realm of knowledge, realm of spirit, top level with no human word
When in physical form, you don't know where you are on journey
We're all here to learn and grow, make progress up through spiral
The Book That Didn't Exist
Carly had vivid dream about buying book called Dawn in airport bookstore
Book described everything she was witnessing
Told Dorie what cover looked like, what it was about
Spent two hours googling, trying to find this book
Other books called Dawn exist but none about this, none with that cover
Carly disappointed, thought she could just pass it on
Turned to Dorie: "then you have to write it"
Made Dorie promise multiple times
Kept checking: "you're writing this down, right? You're taking this seriously?"
Two days later, Carly passed away
Dorie's number one goal: get book into airport bookstore
Takes copy to airports when traveling, drops off with someone
Writing Dawn
First couple weeks after death: shock and disbelief
Started pouring energy into book after initial grief
Took five years to complete, came out about a year ago
Writing was therapeutic
About half what she really wrote, rest was therapy
Cut it down to what mom was trying to share
Everything Carly said directly written in blue italics
Important not to put words in her mouth
Struggled with ending, felt not done yet
Strong feeling mom helping her write it, very collaborative
New ending about trying every day, dawn as new opportunity
Every day new chance to be best version of ourselves
Dorie's Views Before and After
Grew up Church of Christ, conservative Christian
Believed in heaven and hell as child
Fear-based tactics made her terrified
Age 18: rejected idea of evil god damning people to hell forever
Decided to only believe what she knew to be true, proven things
Ages 18-42: agnostic, comfortable with not knowing
Carpe diem, enjoy every day, be good person, love people
After mom's experiences and death: fully believes we continue as spirits
Spirits all around us, continued journey we know little about
Very comforting and exciting
Not afraid of death at all, very curious
When it happens, excited to see and learn more
Husband worried: "but you don't want to die, right?"
Hopes to live long life, die peacefully in sleep at 85 or 90
Loss of Fear and Anxiety
Before: had fear and anxiety
After: no anxiety about anything anymore
Not just about death, but anxiety in general
Felt weird speaking up: "I don't have anxiety and fear"
Deep calm of trusting she's here to learn and love
Then going to die and that's okay
Try not to sweat daily things because they don't matter
Still human, still worries about bills, sick kid
But deep trust in purpose and journey
All far out of our control
If listening, watching, learning, loving, trying to connect and help others
That's all we can do
Hundreds of Signs from Carly
Blackbird at nail salon 30 minutes after asking husband to play it at burial
Self-playing piano in hospital lobby playing "It Is Well With My Soul" (mom's favorite hymn)
TV froze on word "SIGNS" in huge letters, wouldn't unfreeze
Mom's car honking and flashing lights when Dorie and dad arguing politics
Heart-shaped balloon floating directly over their heads at grave on birthday
Dreams about mom all the time, sometimes just hugging her
Strong feelings, goosebumps, hair standing up, electricity sensation
Deep gut reaction of knowing, connection
Stopping Drinking to Connect More
Drinking glass or two of wine every night
Had feeling would connect more in dreams if stopped
About two weeks after stopping, started having powerful dreams
Really worked, connecting with mom more
Powerful motivator not to drink
Added bonus: better for health
Music as Conduit
Carly was composer, wrote thousands of songs
Often wrote music in sleep or woke with song in mind
Very open vessel for receiving inspiration
Wrote one last song in hospital on phone called "Echoes"
Never got to play it, none of them heard it
Found in notes app after she passed
Neighbor translated numbers and symbols into sheet music
Actually a duet, two melodies together
Dorie plays flute, sister plays oboe, learning it together
Beautiful, melancholy, eerie, sad but pretty
Short but complex
Embodiment of echoing concept
Music and Memory
Dorie asked if mom wanted to hear Chopin playing
Mom: "Can you turn that off? There's already so much music playing in my head"
Realized a lot going on in her mind during visions
Music become much more important to Dorie since mom passed
Wakes up with music playing, usually songs she likes
Sometimes new song never heard before
Gets obsessed until learns it or writes it down
Strong connection: people with powerful experiences are musicians
Or person who passed was musician
Music is energy, conduit, transcends this world
Uses all different parts of brain, interconnects brain
More powerful than something using one part of brain
Echoes Concept
Echoing through generations and lives
Dorie says things that are so her mom
Echoing parts of mom's life, beliefs, messaging
If you have loving mom, you echo those lessons to your children
Rings in water, passing it on
Last song mom wrote called "Echoes of Life"
Carly's Background
Church of Christ upbringing, conservative Christian
Later attended non-denominational Christian church
Traditional views of heaven and hell
Believed in Jesus Christ and Holy Spirit
Church every week, spiritual person
Composer who wrote music in sleep
Open vessel for inspiration
Well-read person, history and geology
Financially minded and practical
Smart, capable woman
Made family's clothes, grew garden, taught piano lessons
Very industrious, positive
Believer in power of nature for healing
Would go on walks, bird watching, see stars
Connection to nature reflected in her music
Passionate about disconnection from nature in modern life
Shapes in the Clouds
Mom emphasized this concept in final days
Seeing shapes in clouds similar to how she was seeing visions
Using brain, imagination, creativity
Essential for physical and spiritual wellbeing
Looking at abstract things and identifying them
Using imagination to interpret them
Like how music works, pulling things together
Making something real out of something abstract
Mom said this skill critical to understanding spiritual reality
Dorie started foundation called Shapes in the Clouds
Art, music, nature therapy for grief, illness, anxiety, life trials
Nature and Healing
After mom passed, being in nature helped Dorie connect to her
Connect to herself and heal
Mom always sought out nature growing up
Go on walk, bird watching, see stars
Connection to nature in her music, what inspired it
People live in cities, don't see or experience nature daily
Yes there are bugs, yes you can get muddy
But important part of spiritual, physical, emotional journey
One of mom's passions that kept her connected
The Kung An Concept
Buddhist concept of protective layer around soul
Root soul, eternal self that goes forever
Around it: protective barrier like shell of egg but much stronger
Protects soul forever, always encompassing
When here as humans or different things happening, we are protected
Dorie inspired by this, felt mom's guidance
Made representation: living moss wall
Soul in center, Kung An barrier around it
On "river of life" traveling along, being protected
Helps with fear and anxiety
All spiritual selves have ultimate protection
Won't be damaged, discarded, or any things we fear
Key Quotes
"I am staring death in the face right now. At the end, you can see all of it, and it makes so much sense. I'm ready to go. There is nothing to be afraid of." - Carly
"This is a much larger journey than I thought. I am part of the energy of everyone, all trillions of souls from all of history and going forward." - Carly
"You have to see what I'm seeing. It's so enticing and exciting." - Carly
"Then you have to write it. You're writing this down, right? You're taking this seriously?" - Carly
"I don't have a lot of fear and anxiety anymore. I think if we're trying our best to connect with others and help others and love each other, that's all we can do." - Dorie Pickle
"Every day is a new day, and every day we have a new opportunity to try our best and seek our own intuition and be our best version of ourselves." - Dorie Pickle
About Dorie Pickle
Dorie Pickle is the author of Dawn: A Fresh Perspective on Life, Death and the Other Side. After her mother Carly's profound end-of-life visions and dreams about the afterlife, Dorie fulfilled her promise to write the book her mother envisioned. The five-year writing process was therapeutic, helping Dorie process her grief while honoring her mother's final wish to share what she witnessed about the other side. Dorie founded Shapes in the Clouds, a foundation honoring art, music and nature therapy for helping with grief, illness, anxiety and other life trials. She serves on the advisory board of Candlelight Ranch, a nonprofit providing nature therapy to those in need. Dorie is passionate about spreading Carly's message that there is nothing to fear about death and that we are all on a much larger journey than we can comprehend as humans.
Connect with Dorie Pickle: Podcast: Awakenings in Real Life
Website: https://dawnthebook.com
Book: Dawn: A Fresh Perspective on Life, Death and the Other Side
(also available as audiobook with Carly's music between chapters)
Dawn Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dawnthebook/
Shapes in the Clouds: https://shapesintheclouds.org/
Candlelight Ranch: https://candlelightranch.org/
Creative Pickle: https://creativepickle.com/
Other Links
Mom's music site: https://carlieburdettmusic.com/
Mom's music on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/18g9SXXVqEWEg2g0LXkQJR
Dawn Audiobook (featuring mom's music) https://www.audiobooks.com/audiobook/dawn-a-fresh-perspective-on-life-death-and-the-otherside/849308?qId=0892555026e671a667245cbe7da86a37&pos=1
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